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Our online identity can have an impact on our everyday lives as we get older.

Education establishments and employees have been known to use the internet to find out more about potential candidates.

Helping your child to understand the potential impact of what they share as they grown up, can help them take control of their online reputations in the future.

Internet Matters offer helpful information and practical advice for parents and caregivers around making sure your child has a positive online identity.

You may have heard a lot of discussion recently about 'AI'. But what does it mean and what do you need to know?

AI or artificial intelligence is a computer or machine that can perform a function the same way a human can. But just like humans, it can make mistakes. 

Internet Matters offer information and guidance on what you need to know about AI and how you can use it to support your children in different ways.

A chatbot is an AI program that replicates human conversation with you mostly through messaging.  It can chat with you, provide information and support, book things for you and much more. Chat GPT launched in 2022 and is one of the better-known sites but there are lots of others too.  

Alexa (Amazon) and Siri (Apple) are considered virtual assistants rather than chatbots. But both utilise AI to understand spoken commands and questions from users.

Deepfake is the term used to describe a video, picture or audio clip made with Artificial Intelligence. They look real when they are in fact ‘fake’. They can be used to spread 'fake news' items.

For example, they can take one person’s head and put it on someone else’s body. Or take a video of someone giving a speech and replace their voice, and words with a soundalike. Some may look realistic but look closer and you may find the  video or picture has flaws. This helps to identify them as imitations and not the real thing.  

But deepfakes aren't all bad and can be use for something useful. Researchers at the University of Southampton say that the technology can be used to help people hear their own voice again if they are no longer able to speak because of a medical condition or treatment.

For more information about deepfakes and what to do if you believe you have been a victim of crime involving a deepfake, please go to our advice and information page.